A mysterious polar vortex spotted on the Sun

A few days ago, the astronomersastronomers observed something strange on the surface of our Sun. Kinda funny vortexvortex. A vortex formed by a huge filament of solar plasma – protuberances, as researchers call them when said filaments stand out in the darkness of space – has detached from our star and rotates around its North Pole. As if you were caught in a powerful whirlpool. Unheard of for researchers who wonder about the origin of the phenomenon.

Note, however, that astronomers have already observed that once per solar cycle something strange happens on the surface of our star. No doubt related to the magnetic field reversal that then occurs on our Sun. It seems that researchers describe it as a “plasma bar”. At 55 degrees from latitudelatitude. A structure that then rises towards the poles before disappearing.

A new point of view to understand

Of this “plasma bar”, regularly detaches from bumps or filaments. But never before have astronomers seen the enormous vortex they describe today form around the North Pole of the Sun.

The difficulty is that the phenomenon occurs near the pole of our star. A region that has long remained beyond the reach of our observations. But that could soon change thanks to the mission Solar orbiter of the European Space Agency (ESAESA) which, in fact, should allow us to study our Sun from high latitudes.